The present invention pertains to polyvinyl chloride articles that exhibit durable fluorescent colors through the use of selected hindered amine light stabilizers.
Articles containing colorants lose their color when exposed to solar radiation for extended time periods. For example, articles placed outdoors throughout the summer often tend to display a faded version of their original color by the time autumn arrives. Although this fading occurs in both conventional and fluorescent colorants, the problem is more acute with fluorescent colorants.
The life of fluorescent colored articles is typically in the range of months when exposed to daily solar radiation, whereas the life of articles that use conventional colorants can be in the range of years. Although generally less stable, fluorescent colorants nonetheless find frequent use because of their ability to increase an article""s visibility. Unlike conventional colorants, fluorescent colorants can take light that they absorb and reemit it in the visible spectrum. This innate property allows fluorescent articles to exhibit an enhanced visual contrast between the colored article and its surrounding environment.
Investigators in the retroreflective art have attempted to stabilize polymeric articles containing fluorescent colorants using various means. For example, Burns et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,761 teach the use of a hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) to maintain the durability of articles containing fluorescent dyes in a polycarbonate polymeric matrix. The document further discloses that the fluorescent dye may be thioxanthene, perylene imide, or thioindigoid dyes, and the HALS may be compounds from the 2,2,6,6-tetraalkyl piperidine class of compounds. While these articles are extremely usefiul in maintaining fluorescent color stability, they are not very flexible due to the polycarbonate matrix""s inherent rigidity.
Others, such as Pavelka et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,458 have attempted to maintain fluorescent colors by using an ultraviolet screening layer that screens out ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the range of 340 to 400 nanometers. The document also discloses that the fluorescent color resides in a separate layer rather than in the screening layer. Although these articles are highly beneficial because of their stable fluorescent colors, they do present the need of having two separate layers that can add cost to the construction. Furthermore, the screening layer may not be effective in reducing the degradation of the fluorescent dye caused by dye absorbtion of visible radiation.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) films are useful in many applications because of their flexibility and commercial availability. UV absorbing stabilizers have been commonly used in polyvinyl chloride articles to light stabilize the polymer matrix. See, e.g., Malice McMurrer, Update: UV Stabilizers, Plastics Compounding 40 (Jan/Feb. 1985). UV stabilizers, however, are not effective in stabilizing fluorescent dyes in the matrix.
Although PVC films containing fluorescent dyes are widely available today, they tend to have very poor color retention. Factors contributing to the color fading include lack of dye solubility in the PVC host matrix, dye migration, and minimal protection offered by the resin against photodegradation.
Technical publications have suggested that HALS, with its amine group in the molecular structure, may not be compatible with PVC. For example, T. Hjertberg and E. M. Sxc3x6rvik stated in Thermal Degradation of PVC, in Degradation and Stabilisation of PVC, E. D. Owen (editor) 21, 69 (1984) that amines xe2x80x9cinduce dehydrochlorination of PVC at high temperaturesxe2x80x9d leading to degradation of the PVC matrix. In addition, HALS based on secondary or tertiary piperidinyl amines are very basic compounds. For example, 2,2,6,6-tertamethyl piperidine has a pkb of 2.9 as compared to 4.7 for ammonia when measured in water. See Can Zhang et al., Hindered Amine Light Stabilizers: Effects of Acid Exposure, Volume 24 of Journal of Polymer Science: Part C: Polymer Letters 453, 453 (1986). Because of its alkalinity, HALS in the presence of a volatile acid, such as hydrochloric acid (HCl), forms a salt. Hydrochloric acid is produced by degradation and oxidation reactions resulting from xe2x80x9clight induced aging of PVC films.xe2x80x9d See Martinez et al., Prediction of Photoageing Stability of Plasticized PVC Films Containing UV-Stabilisers, Volume 54 of Polymer Degradation and Stability 49, 49 (1996). The presence of a basic HALS in combination with a readily available source of HCl gives rise to acid-base reactions that can degrade the PVC matrix.
Because of the flexible nature of PVC films and the desirability using of fluorescent colorants in many articles, there is a need for a durable colored article having these combinations.
The present invention provides, for the first time, colored articles exhibiting durable fluorescent properties in a solventless PVC host matrix by incorporating a particular class of HALS to stabilize a class of fluorescent dyes. Contrary to known teachings that HALS may not be compatible with PVC, this invention includes the discovery that new combinations of HALS and fluorescent dyes in a PVC host matrix will exhibit superior stabilization of colored, fluorescent articles. Because the PVC host matrix has good mechanical and thermal properties, the inventive article will be useful in many applications, including, but not limited to, uses in clothing, traffic control signs and devices (for example, roll-up signs), backpacks, and water flotation safety devices.
In brief summary, the inventive article exhibits durable color and fluorescent properties and comprises (a) a polymeric matrix that contains substantially solventless polyvinyl chloride resin; (b) a thioxanthene fluorescent dye; and (c) a hindered amine light stabilizer comprising at least one secondary or tertiary amine groups and having a molecular weight of less than about 1000 grams/mole. The inventive articles can be made by combining these components into a mixture and forming an article from the mixture.
Because processing of a substantially solventless polyvinylchloride resin subjects the resin to high temperatures, it was not predicted that a durable fluorescent-colored article would result. As indicated above, amines can induce dehydrochlorination of the polyvinyl chloride at high temperatures, which can lead to degradation of the polyvinyl chloride matrix. Not with standing this concept, the inventive article is surprisingly durable. Thus, the combination of using substantially solventless polyvinyl chloride and HALS provides benefits unsuggested in the art for forming durable fluorescent-colored, PVC articles.
The present invention has the advantage in that it exhibits durable color properties and fluorescence without the need to use protective overlays. If desired, however, a protective overlay may be used to further increase the durability of the inventive article. The inventive articles retain their color and are able to fluoresce for a longer time period than is normally expected even when they are exposed to direct sunlight. Articles of the invention therefore are good candidates for use with retroreflective elements.
Another advantage of the invention is that the polymers, dyes, and HALS may be processed in a solventless system, which not only essentially eliminates solvent emissions into the atmosphere but also reduces the article""s manufacturing cost by totally eliminating solvent use.